Concrete Angel
by Silent Metronome
Summary: Little is known about Tenten's life, and there is even less that she's willing to share. But all that Tenten has been trying to avoid finally proves to be too much for her. Songfic to Concrete Angel by Martina McBride. Hints of LeexTen.
1. The Wind

_She walks to school with the lunch she packed._

_Nobody knows what she's holding back._

"That was an excellent morning practice, my pupils! I nearly cried at the sight of so much power of youth!"

Gai wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye as he beamed his blinding smile at his 'pupils.' Two of said students lay on the ground at their sensei's feet, exhaused from both the unusually warm spring weather and the intense training they had just undergone. One student, however, had just as much energy as his sensei.

"Yes, sir!" he nearly shouted. Gai nodded at the bowl-cutted teen, and Lee raced over to his belongings, eager to eat.

"How does he always have so much energy?" Tenten complained, struggling to her feet. Her other teammate shrugged as they brushed themselves off and went to join Lee. Sitting under the shade of a tree, the two boys began eating almost immediately, knowing that they only had so much time before Gai made them run off all the calories that they had consumed. Tenten, however, simply stared at her tiny lunch, the memories of last night that she had tried so hard to erase flooding back into her mind. She couldn't really recall any details, just a blinding pain that refused to die off. Tenten shuddered, then quickly regained her composure and dug into her meager meal. The last thing she wanted was for her teammates to find out.

_Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday,_

_She hides the bruises with linen and lace._

"It keeps getting hotter and hotter," Neji observed disgustedly as he finished the last bites of his meal. He closed his pearly eyes and leaned against the bark of the tree behind him, letting the slight breeze wash over him. Lee nodded vigorously as he desperately tried to fan himself off with his bandaged hands.

"I know what you mean, Neji," Tenten agreed, wiping the sweat off her forehead. In an attempt to cool off, she flapped the bottom of her shirt, exposing her abdomen. Abruptly, Lee stopped trying to fan himself and stared at Tenten's stomach concernedly.

"What happened to your stomach, Tenten?" he asked, letting his hands fall to his side. Tenten quickly smoothed her shirt down as Neji opened his eyes curiously.

"I-I fell down the stairs," Tenten lied abruptly, avoiding the worried gaze of Lee. She gently placed a hand on her abdomen, trying to keep her teammates from looking. "It's just a small bruise. I'll be fine."

Lee nodded as if he understood, but Tenten knew that he didn't believe her. It wasn't a small bruise, she knew- she had spent long minutes gazing at herself in the mirror this morning, watching the giant splotch across her stomach turn a grotesque blue and purple, as opposed to the mangled red and black it had been the night before. She had barely slept; trying to find a comfortable position that didn't cause her pain took practically the entire night. Tenten winced at the memory of her reflection, and was glad she had worn her baggy capris instead of shorts, despite the hot temperature. If Lee was concerned about her stomach, he would have a heart attack at the sight of her legs.

"Alright, you kids have added enough fuel to your youthful bodies! Now go put that fuel to use and run 200 laps around the training area!"

The three students jumped at the booming voice of their sensei. Lee shouted in understanding and immediately set off to complete the task. Neji opened a cold eye and glared at both Lee and his idol before slowly getting up and setting off in a run. In a struggle to rise to her feet, Tenten placed her hand upon her thigh and immediately yelped in pain.

_The teacher wonders, but he doesn't ask._

_It's hard to see the pain behind the mask._

"Tenten!" Gai sensei exclaimed, rushing to her side in a green blur. "Are you alright? What is the problem?"

Tenten waved him off, doing the best she could to hide the grimace of pain. She stood up, gingerly putting weight on her right leg. "I'm fine, sensei," Tenten said in what she hoped was a confident voice. "I think I may have pulled a muscle during morning training, that's all."

Gai-sensei shook his head and clucked his tongue at her. "That is why we STRETCH before we do any form of exercise, Tenten!" he said authoritatively, placing a hand upon her shoulder. "But if your leg is truly injured, then you may do only 150 laps."

"Thanks, Gai-sensei." Tenten began her first lap around the track, being careful not to put too much weight on her leg. Lee lapped her and joyfully exclaimed how fun it was to be starting his 50th lap. Neji followed close behind, the scowl on his face hinting that he would like to throw something very large and very pointy at his teammate.

Amusing as his team was, however, Gai watched Tenten carefully, noticing how she was practically hopping with each step, as if to keep her legs from staying on the ground too long. It was common for one member of his team to pull a muscle during morning practice, but increasingly, the one getting injured had been Tenten. He had to wonder if it really was because she was poor at stretching, or if something else was the matter.

There was also the bruise. She had been quick to cover it up, but Gai-sensei, his curiosity getting the better of him when Lee asked her about it, had caught a glimpse of it before it was covered by her shirt. It was a large, ugly bruise, something that would have been hard to get by simply falling down the steps. But Tenten _was_ the most uncoordinated of the group, and she _did_ have a tendency to fall a lot.

Gai shook his head to clear his thoughts. He was just reading too far into things, he told himself. Much as an older man would do. What unyouthful behavior!

_Bearing the burden of a secret storm,_

_Sometimes she wishes she was never born._

As the sun began to set on the horizon, Tenten finally finished her last lap and collapsed to the ground, dripping with sweat and being careful not to fall on her legs or stomach.

"Well done, my students!" Gai-sensei bellowed, grinning proudly. "You have put in a hard day's practice! I am so proud I could cry!" Indeed, tears began falling from the shinobi's eyes as Lee scrambled to find a tissue.

"Fascinating," Neji sneered. "Can we leave now?"

"Yes you may," Gai-sensei said in between sobs. "Unfortunately, though, I will not be here tomorrow, for I am completing a mission for Lady Tsunade. I reward your hard efforts today with a rare day off!"

Neji sighed in relief, but Lee and Tenten looked horrified.

"No training tomorrow?!" Lee cried. "But I must work hard every day! This is an outrage!"

"But we have to have practice tomorrow," Tenten nearly begged desperately. "How am I going to avoid- er, find something to do tomorrow?"

"I am sure you will be able to enjoy the beautiful spring day," Gai-sensei said, his eyes finally drying up. "I know! How about you two do something together! Wouldn't that be positively youthful?"

Neji snickered and walked away, not wanting to here the end of this conversation-turning-disaster. Tenten, however, was ready to seize any opportunity it took to avoid spending a whole day at her house with...

"Actually, that sounds pretty good, Gai-sensei," Tenten said quickly. She turned to look at Lee. "You don't mind, do you, Lee-san?"

"O-of course not!" Lee's expression changed from shocked to embarrassed to happy to satisfied faster than Tenten could blink. "It will be a most wonderful day!"

"Then it's settled!" Gai practically exploded with joy before bidding them a good-bye and running off after Neji to tell him the good news. A slightly awkward moment of silence passed before Lee turned to look at Tenten.

"I apologize that you have to spend an entire day with me, Tenten-san," Lee said meekly to his teammate. But Tenten hugged Lee gently, careful to avoid having her bruises touched. Lee started, surprised.

"No, Lee, this is perfect." Tenten pulled away, fighting back tears. "Now I can spend the whole day out."

"What's wrong with your house, Tenten-san?" Lee asked curiously. Tenten winced slightly, praying that Lee wouldn't notice.

"Nothing," she replied quickly, taking a step back. "It just... gets boring at my house sometimes. You know, being an only child at all."

Lee nodded in understanding. "I must get going home, though," he said apologetically. "Will you be okay returning to your house by yourself?"

"Uh, sure." Tenten deflated and stared at the ground, dread building up in her stomach at the thought of getting home so early. _Oh, well. With any luck, he won't be back just yet._ "Thanks anyway, Lee."

"No problem!" he cried as he dashed in the opposite direction. "I will see you tomorrow, bright and early, okay?"

"Right," she whispered after him. Then she fell on the ground, clutching her knees and staring up at the setting sun. Hopefully, she could go home and hide before he gets home. And then she can sleep- escape into the only world where she's safe.

_Kami. I really don't want to go back. Please let me be free tonight. _

_Through the wind and the rain,_

_She stands hard as a stone_

_In a world that she can't rise above._

_But her dreams give her wings, _

_And she flies to a place where she's loved._

_Concrete angel._


	2. The Storm

_**A/N: I bet you guys weren't expecting another chapter. In fact, I wasn't planning on making one until a day ago. Here's your warning: there's a lot of swearing and blood in this chapter. If that offends you, please don't read it. This chapter is also really long, and I apologize for that. But I felt the story couldn't have finished where I left it off. Anyway, enjoy!**_

_********_

_Somebody cries in the middle of the night_

_The neighbors hear, but they turn out the lights_

_A fragile soul, caught in the hands of fate_

_When morning comes it'll be too late_

"C'mon, Tenten!"

The kunoichi opened her eyes to see Lee staring down at her, his hand on her cheek and a smile on his face. She must have drifted off to sleep, lying in her favorite spot- a clearing within the woods, peaceful, surrounded by beautiful trees, and covered in the softest grass within a 100-mile radius.

"Is it time already, Lee?" she asked groggily, smiling back up at him as she struggled to get into a sitting position.

"Yes, Tenten," Lee announced happily, jumping onto his feet and lifting Tenten out of the soft grass. "We must go on the most adventurous mission yet! Neji and Gai-Sensei are already waiting for us!"

Tenten beamed happily up at the bright, sunny sky. This was absolutely perfect. She had gotten time off - time she spent mostly with Lee, training and just being together. Now, she got to go on her first A-rank mission with him and the rest of her team. It couldn't get any better than thi-

_THUD._

"TENTEN!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, YOU LAZY ASS?!"

The sound of a door slamming and an angry scream drove the ninja out of her dream. Tenten opened her eyes immediately, shaking her hair out of her face. _CRAP. What time is it?! I was only supposed to take a quick nap! _In a rush, Tenten kicked the ratty covers off her bed and took a quick look at the clock sitting on her nightstand. _6 o'clock! OH NO! _Without bothering to straighten herself up, she sprinted into the kitchen, where her worst nightmare was waiting for her. A man was sitting at the table, obviously furious and impatient.

"There you are," the man sneered, taking a swig out of a bottle and slamming it down onto the kitchen table. At the sight of the bottle held tightly in his grasp, Tenten began shaking slightly. _He's already been drinking..._

"What the hell were you doing?" he demanded, glaring at her through glazed eyes. Even when he was drunk, he was terrifying. Tenten swallowed and tried not to let her fear show. He might get some ideas.

"I-I'm sorry, Dad," she stammered, looking down at her feet and wishing she could disappear. "We got off practice early today and I just... took a little nap-"

"A fuckin' nap, eh?" Tenten's father sneered and took another gulp from his bottle. Tenten could smell the alcohol from where she was standing. "So you get off early, and instead of makin' me some fucking food, you go and lie on your fat ass?"

Tenten's cheeks burned, and she closed her eyes, trying to shut him out. "I'm sorry, Dad," she repeated meekly. "I'll get right on that."

Tenten rushed to the fridge and began pulling out ingredients for her father's dinner. She heard him slam the bottle down and mutter drunkenly under his breath as she reached for the rice, her fingers trembling.

"Stupid fuckin' girl don't even have any friends," he jeered from behind her back. "Has to come straight home 'cause no one wants to hang out with a lazy fatass like you. No wonder they had to quit practice early- you're not getting any better, you miserable fuck."

Tenten took a deep breath as her anger flared. Trying to suppress both her anger and her fear, she grabbed the rice and walked to the counter, her legs feeling weak. She knew better than to get mad at her father. The last time that happened... well, Tenten was lucky to regain the use of her arms.

"A'course, that Rock Lee feller's always after your fat ass, eh?" Her father spit disgustedly and took another swig of sake. "Fuckin' ugliest faggot I've ever seen. You and him would get along well- talentless, ugly losers."

A crash resounded throughout the kitchen as the rice bowl slipped through Tenten's fingers and fell to the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces. Her father jumped and then stood up angrily, shoving both his chair and the table over in his rage.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR, YOU CLUMSY IDIOT?" he screamed, his face turning bright red. Tenten began to shake again, but this time out of pure rage. Slowly, she turned to face her dad, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Shut up."

Her father blinked, shocked. Then his features set into a deep scowl that could scare off even a member of the Akatsuki.

"What did you say to me?" he asked slowly. Tenten felt a twang of deep fear, but couldn't keep herself from continuing. All those feelings she had been locking away deep inside, so no one would find them... all the pain, physical in the form of bruises, emotional in the form of tears... it all came spilling out in the form of words.

"I told you to fucking _shut up_. You can make fun of me all you want. I've been taking your shit for 5 years, _Dad_. Ever since Mom died, all you've done is beat the crap out of me. I can handle it. This is _my_ fight. But when you have to go making fun of Rock Lee... that's low, even for scum like you. Rock Lee is ten times the ninja you ever were, and a hundred times the man! You're just a jerk who can't handle the pain of his own life, so you have to fucking hurt others! I'm sick of your shit, I'm sick of being your little punching bag, and I'm especially sick of YOU!"

Tenten stopped, her breathing heavy and her eyes glowing bright. She had done it. She had stood up to her lousy so-called father. For a minute, she was on top of her world.

Then her father took two quick steps towards her. Before Tenten could even blink, he cocked his right arm back and punched her right in the face. A second passed where Tenten felt no pain. But suddenly she cried out and fell to the ground, clutching her face. Blood seeped out of her cheek and onto her hands as she looked up at her father fearfully. He was breathing heavily, his eyes blazing with anger and his face bright red.

"You have no right to speak to me that way, you worthless BRAT!" he yelled as he swung his leg. His foot connected with Tenten's side, and she slammed against the cabinets, crying out in pain once again. She tried to move, but a searing pain in her side told her that a couple of her ribs had not only cracked, but shattered. She fell on the floor, gasping for breath as tears came spilling out her eyes. The pain was a killer.

But apparantly, her father had not had enough. "You-will-respect-me-you-FUCK!" he shouted between punches and kicks. He struck whatever part of her he could reach- her hands, her arms, her legs, her stomach, and especially her head. Tenten, in a desperate attempt to escape, flailed her bloody legs wildly, striking her father in the gut. She heard him grunt, and for a second, the kicking ceased as her father doubled over, clutching his stomach. She struggled to her feat and tried to make a run for it. Every movement, though, caused her severe pain, and after a few steps, she fell to the ground, sobbing and attempting to crawl away.

"Oh, no you don't," she heard him snarl from behind her. A foot connected with her back, and she was flat on the ground, the breath knocked out of her and blood from her forehead dripping into her eyes. She lay still for what seemed like an endless moment, on edge and anticipating another punch.

Instead, her father grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her up. He was squeezing her arm so hard that his knuckles were turning white, but Tenten could barely notice through the pain that flowed throughout her body, and the blood that flowed from it. She was so weak she could barely stand, swaying back and forth as she finally looked at her father.

Through a combination of blood and tears, she could see his face, staring back at her; could feel his breath on her face, stinking of alcohol. At first, his face still retained that furious, raging look that over the years had made him seem more animal than human. But after a second, his face shifted, and she caught a glimpse of the man that once was.

"Haruka?" he whispered roughly, slurring her name slightly as he stared at Tenten desperately. "Isthatyou?"

Tears spilled out of Tenten's eyes as her father spoke her mother's name. "Dad, what are you saying?" she begged, barely able to get a word out through her swollen mouth.

"Haruka, youcameback," her father drawled drunkenly, beginning to cry. "Ithoughtyouwere dead forgood!"

"Dad, it's me," Tenten pleaded, choking on blood and tears. "It's Tenten!"

The last cry resounded through out the kitchen as the news sunk into her father. For a second, he seemed startled. Then, suddenly, he screamed in anger and shoved Tenten backwards and downwards. She heard rather than felt her head smash against the edge of the kitchen table, creating a gash on the back of her head. She fell limply to the floor, blood pouring out of her and her eyesight fading.

"Fuck you," her dad muttered one last time before stepping over her. She heard the door open, then slam shut as her father disappeared into the night. The house became quiet, the only sound coming from Tenten as ragged breaths escaped her mouth. Even as she knew she was dying, she became calm, almost peaceful as the darkness enveloped her. As she drew her last breath, an image of Rock Lee flashed in front of her eyes, and a final tear rolled down her cheek.

"I'm free."

*********

"Tenten!" Are you ready for our glorious day?"

The sun threw a warm, glowing light onto Tenten's house, finally rising as Rock Lee knocked enthusiastically on the door. Sure, he was early for their date- by several hours, actually - but he had hardly been able to sleep all night, trying to figure out how to best make Tenten enjoy his presence more than she would have. Finally deciding to wake her up, he ran over to her house in a frenzy, grabbing flowers along the way and doubling back to his room several times for items he had forgotten- like pants.

Now, he stood on her doorstep, pounding on the door somewhat quietly. He knew her father and had met him several times. Though he was a good man, he seemed to get irritated easily, and he didn't wish to wake him up and ruining the day for Tenten. She did seem to grow awfully nervous whenever he was around. Oh, well. She'd feel much better after a day with Rock Lee. Everyone does, don't they?

"Is anybody home?" he called loudly. There was no answer. Shrugging, Rock Lee decided to surprise Tenten with his admirable appearance and opened the door to a mess. He stood still for a few seconds, gaping at the sight of the kitchen. Shards of porcelain were scattered everywhere, blood was splattered on the cabinets and the floor, and the kitchen table was knocked on its side, a giant crack down the middle. A sense of dread welled up inside Lee as he absorbed what he was seeing, combining it with his memories of Tenten's family life. Surveying the scene one more time, he noticed something he hadn't before- a hand sticking out from behind the table, lying limp. It was a delicate hand, one that would belong to a female. _Oh, no-_

"Tenten?" Lee asked nervously, walking quickly around the table. As his gaze fell on a huddled mass lying on the floor, he gasped and fell to his knees, shocked.

Tenten was lying at the base of the table, limp and lifeless. She was covered in cuts and bruises from head to toe- there was barely a spot on her where Rock Lee could actually see her skin. One of her legs lay at an odd angle, as if broken. But what scared Lee most of all was Tenten's face. It, like the rest of her body, was so scarred that he could hardly recognize her. Her mouth was swollen, as was the skin around her eyes. A huge gash stretched across her forehead, and the hair that fell in front of it was matted with blood. But Lee couldn't stop staring at her eyes. They were wide open, but unseeing, as beautiful as usual. And they were staring right at Lee.

"Tenten, you have to get up," Lee said, his voice hoarse as he reached over to her. Grabbing the hand that he had first seen, he frantically checked her wrist for a pulse, any sign that she was alive and well. But the absence of movement confirmed what Lee had instinctively known. His teammate was dead.

"Oh, Tenten, why?" Lee managed to get out before he was engulfed by sobs. Clumsily, he crawled towards her and embraced her, her limp head resting against his chest as he weeped. His tears fell onto her hair, washing out some of the blood that had stained her beautiful hair. Never again was Tenten to make fun of him for messing up, or cringe at his awkward advances, or laugh at him, her eyes shining, and tell him that he was the best friend she ever had. He should have known. She'd been acting funny ever since her mom died. He saw the bruises, saw the way her eyes lit up with fear whenever her father or her home was mentioned. He was such an idiot. And now Tenten was gone forever.

After a few minutes, the last tear fell from Lee's eyes, and he sat there for a few seconds, holding her. "I love you," he muttered into her ear for the first and last time. Then he picked her up gently and carried her all 5 miles to the hospital.

_Through the wind and the rain _

_She stands hard as a stone_

_In a world that she can't rise above_

_But her dreams give her wings _

_And she flies to a place where she's loved_

_Concrete angel_

********

**A/N: I'm debating on writing a third chapter- Tenten's funeral. Please tell me what you guys think about that. Whether or not the story ends here is based on you. Thanks.**


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